Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Comfort food - Japanese @ Rakuzen, Subang Jaya

Sorry for the lack of updates but one has been pretty busy with work. I had a dissapointing eating time last weekend hence the first thing I reached for last night was my comfort food - Japanese.

thick slices of salmon

I wanted a simple meal hence nothing spectacular was ordered but believe me, it was definitely the best I have eaten for a few days! Having fallen in love with sushi rice, I specifically ordered 2 bowls for us to share. Mixed with vinegar, the rice is sticky with a slight tinge of sweetness. Excellent when eaten with ikura (fish roe) and slices of salmon sashimi.

cold cold tofu dipped in soy sauce

Since simple was the name of the game for dinner, I ordered a cold tofu dish. It was presented in a small glass bowl with ice cubes at the bottom to keep the tofu cold. Scoop it up and dip it in another bowl of soy sauce.

Nope, that's not tea but soup!

Next was dobin mushi, a clear soup vs the strong miso soups. Add a squeeze of lime and pour the soup into teeny cups to savour the light tasting soup enhanced by seafood. Once you finish, dig into the teapot for scallop, prawn, arkshell and mushrooms. Sublime stuff, especially when drank piping hot.

Dip in the sauce mixed with finely shaved daikon radish for a yummy treat. At the end of the meal, we were too stuffed to eat any dessert. The upstairs part of Rakuzen is so much nicer than the cramped downstairs - you also get to kick off your shoes and sit comfortably at the tables.

Talking about Japanese food, I recently discovered that NHK plays Harumi Kurihara's television show - the Japanese kitchen in English! Check the link out. The show is not too fantastic in terms of presentation but it is a boon to get to see Harumi in action, since she is so famous and known as the "Martha Stewart" of Japan. The website also has recipes, which are simple so great reference if you wish to cook at home.

Okay, over and out in terms of Japanese food. Somehow, I don't think this will be the last as I envision more stressful days this whole week...